London has been battered by 50mph winds that have felled trees and caused travel chaos. Powerful gusts swept across the capital as the Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather alert for most of the country.

A conman beat a frail 83-year-old black and blue after tricking his way into her home using two children.

The pensioner was attacked after two children knocked on her door pretending
they were looking for their missing pet rabbit.

They returned later with an older man who barged his way into the house and
dragged the woman from room to room, demanding to know where she kept her
valuables.

Even when told her handbag was in her bedroom, he attacked her again after
not being able to find it despite it being plainly visible on a chair.

The woman was left with cuts and bruising to her head, ribs and arms which
required hospital treatment.

Today her brother in law, Peter, from Chiswick, who did not want to be
named, said: “I am absolutely appalled that there are these kind of people
around who can gain access to an old lady’s house using children to trick their
way in and beat her about so badly to try to get details of where her jewellery
and valuables were.

“The callous nature of the crime and beating and throwing an 83-year-old
lady around the room and torturing her for information is sickening.

“I saw her yesterday and she is still in a great deal of pain but I think
she will recover. She has to see her doctor again today.”

Despite her ordeal, his sister-in-law was able to give an accurate account
of her attacker.

He was Asian, aged in his mid twenties and 5ft 10in tall. He wore a dark
heavy knit woolly hat and a pale grey or cream coloured scarf. He also wore a
dark bomber jacket and dark cotton jogging bottoms with trainers.

The two children were possibly Asian, aged around nine years old, 4ft 10in
tall, with stocky builds and round faces. They were wearing dark coloured
jackets.

Peter added that his sister-in-law had two panic buttons in the house but
had been unable to activate them because she was caught by surprise.

The attack happened at Saturday 12 January at 6pm. Her handbag was stolen.
Two men in their 20s were arrested and bailed pending further inquiries. Met
police Detective Constable Paul Matthews said: “I understand that there were
passing motorists at the time and there may have even been pedestrian who may
have seen something. I would also urge local residents to be vigilant and look
out for a black Tula handbag that may have been discarded in the area.”